Third Degree Assault is charged in Castle Rock and Douglas County when a person causes bodily injury to another. A man is facing this crime after throwing a biscuit at his ex-girlfriend while he was drunk. According to the report, the man was angry when he saw his former girlfriend with a new man in a vehicle. He ran at the car and punched the hood, threatening the couple. He also threw a biscuit ‘really hard’ at his ex’s face. The man was arrested and charged with Domestic Violence 3^rd Degree Assault.

Douglas County Third Degree Assault Lawyer: Definition of Assault in the 3^rd Degree

The Douglas County, Colorado law definition of Assault in the Third Degree – C.R.S. 18-3-204 – is:

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(1) A person commits the crime of assault in the third degree if:

(a) The person knowingly or recklessly causes bodily injury to another person or with criminal negligence the person causes bodily injury to another person by means of a deadly weapon”

Likely, the woman claimed she experienced pain when the biscuit hit her, which would meet the standard of bodily injury. As a class 1 misdemeanor extraordinary risk crime, 3^rd Degree Assault is punishable by 6 to 24 months in the Colorado Department of Corrections and up to $5,000 in fines.

Domestic Violence 3^rd Degree Assault in Highlands Ranch and Parker: The DV Sentence Enhancer

Domestic Violence is not a criminal charge in Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch, and Parker, but a sentence enhancer that can be added to any underlying crime. Under C.R.S. 18-6-800.3, Domestic Violence is defined as:

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an act or threatened act of violence upon a person with whom the actor is or has been involved in an intimate relationship. "Domestic violence" also includes any other crime against a person, or against property, including an animal, or any municipal ordinance violation against a person, or against property, including an animal, when used as a method of coercion, control, punishment, intimidation, or revenge directed against a person with whom the actor is or has been involved in an intimate relationship.”

An ex-girlfriend would meet the criteria for intimate relationship. A Domestic Violence 3^rd Degree Assault conviction would mean on top of the sentence invoked for the class 1 misdemeanor, domestic violence classes would be required.  

If you or someone you love has been charged with Domestic Violence 3^rd Degree Assault, be smart, exerciser your right to remain silent, and contact the best criminal defense attorneys from the O’Malley Law Office at 303-265-1950 to schedule your free consultation. Together, we can protect your future.

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